The Journal of a Sporting Nomad 



which had at the other end of it a small wooden 

 buoy. The turtle was turned back to a natural 

 position, and allowed to enter the sea, where a 

 man in a small boat lay in wait. So soon as he 

 was able to get hold of the wooden buoy, which 

 floated on the surface, with a strong boat-hook, 

 and marked the turtle's whereabouts, he hauled 

 on the line until she appeared, when he took 

 the fin ropes, with which the fore paddles were 

 still loosely tied, and hauled on these until the 

 back of her shell was up tight against the stern 

 of the dinghy. Then he took a turn round the 

 seat to make all fast, and rowed off with his 

 victim to the steamer, where she was hoisted 

 aboard and laid on her back on the deck. 



When we had loaded all our night's catch, we 

 sailed for the station, and the turtles were put 

 into a stew, or enclosure, built out into the sea, 

 where the water entered freely. Here they re- 

 mained until they were needed for food. The 

 killing of one is a great undertaking, and is ac- 

 complished by tricing them up on a small tripod 

 when their throats are cut ; they take a long time 

 to die, which makes their slaughter a disagree- 

 able business. 



Turtles, as is well known, live to a great age, 

 growing very slowly. They are vegetarians, 

 living mostly on a species of ribbon grass that 

 grows luxuriantly about Ascension Island. 



Turtle soup as made by Ring and Brymer is 



68 



